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Tough bargaining ahead for India’s MMRCA winner

RAAF fighter-bombers to become 'Growlers'


The Australian October 19, 2011 12:00AM


THE RAAF may soon have 12 of its Super Hornet fighter-bombers equipped as "Growlers", the US aircraft packed with electronic equipment that paralysed the Libyan regime's communications and missile systems.

Because of the aircraft's spectacular success in the Libyan conflict, the Gillard government is considering soon spending more than $300 million having half of the 24-strong Super Hornet fleet fitted out for electronic warfare.

The Growler would be much more potent than anything in the region and would be capable of paralysing the communications and radar systems around targets being attacked by RAAF aircraft or aboard enemy aircraft attacking Australian targets.


The 24 Super Hornets were ordered by Howard government defence minister Brendan Nelson for $6 billion and in 2009 Labor asked that 12 of them be wired to allow for the later installation of electronic attack capabilities.

The Australian has been told that the government is close to announcing a decision to add the electronic warfare equipment.

As well as neutralising enemy capabilities, the Growler can deal with terrorists by shutting down their ground-based communications and devices to trigger bombs.

The aircraft have been delivered over the past two years as they came off the production line and the RAAF will have all 24 by the end of this week.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith and the Minister for Defence Materiel, Jason Clare, said the Super Hornet would ensure Australia's air combat dominance in the region until the arrival of the Joint Strike Fighter after 2018.

"The Super Hornet gives the RAAF the capability to conduct air-to-air combat, strike targets on land and at sea, suppress enemy air defences and conduct reconnaissance," they said.





And dont get me wrong.. This is only if Rafale is not selected due to price issues.:D
 
And if they can agree on the GE414 IN in Shornets.. It will be lethal with 120+kn double engines. And a few Growlers as bonus.:enjoy:

And isnt LCA Mk II also carrying the same engine..?? The maintenance overheads would really benefit from economies of scale..

---------- Post added at 07:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 PM ----------

Every Indian wants to know how much Sonia will pocket out of this deal...

And no one is going to find out :D
 
The Rhinos were a stop gap measure until the F-35 arrived ..... Now they are being upgraded
 
And isnt LCA Mk II also carrying the same engine..?? The maintenance overheads would really benefit from economies of scale..

---------- Post added at 07:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 PM ----------



And no one is going to find out :D

Yup. same engine.. scheduled to arrive from 2013 onward..
 
SH or, Gripen is the way to go...There is no need for a super expensive aircraft...
A Ground attack aircraft with above average A2A capability will do just fine...
 
Boeing was given for the rejection of the F/A-18 were four: "the maturity of its engine design, the growth potential of its engine, assorted performance shortfalls, and issues related to special preventative maintenance".

The first 3 are interconnected and there is indeed a solution for it and its a good one.
 
Guys why is the indian procurement process take so long? by the time they decide what they want it will be obsolete.

Sir, Tough bargaining impacts the time spent on purchase decision.

This is why i never like shopping with Mrs B. She takes so long to shop

I understand your situation. However I guess there is small difference in the comparison you made. We can freely comment on the purchasing process/decision by our Govt. and get away with it; but you cant do the same to Mrs. B :angel: :P
 
Guys why is the indian procurement process take so long? by the time they decide what they want it will be obsolete. This is why i never like shopping with Mrs B. She takes so long to shop

A purse of $10.2 billion or probably more in the later stages is a good instrument for bargaining/arm-twisting.Obviously GoI does not want to let go of it that easily.Lately,a lot of these supplier countries have been singing in our tune,mainly for the deals/trade opportunities provided by India.
The Indian Airspace is well protected as of now,we are not in a war-like situation.One neighbour is incapable of waging a war,another neighbour has a growing economy to look after.I don't see any war involving air forces any time soon.
So,the delay is good.
 
hope GOI handle the situation professionally
This would be handled carefully as the Air force has already decided on the MiG21 retirement dates and MMRCA deal is the only thing that can help the air force to regain it's squadron strength.IIRC,HAL has also started building up infrastructure to minimise time delays and maximise output.So,if GoI delays it further it will hurt the AF and if another MiG21 crashes(after the cancellation of the MMRCA tender)then even the media might wake up.
Hope that the DRDO completes the 155mm artillery and it gets inducted into the army:)
GOI = Sonia Gandhi. Without her nod, nothing happens. MMS, Pranab, Chidambaram, all are stooges.
4iop3d.jpg
 

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